Twenty Things I Want to Tell My Sons
Chapter 1

 

Know God's Word and Apply it to Your Life

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

Joshua 1:8

Knowing God’s word and applying it to your life is one of the keys to life. It is the very definition of true success - knowing and doing God’s word. James reiterates the importance of this when he instructs us to be doers and not just hearers of the word of God. Your success in life and as a follower of Christ rests on this one thing, knowing and doing God’s word. If you do this one thing, everything else will take care of itself. All of God’s wisdom that He has given us over the centuries is contained in His word. God’s word is a light (Psalm 119:105), illuminating the way to wise living (Proverbs). Everything else I am going to share with you in the next 19 things can be found in God’s word. Everything you need to truly succeed in life is contained in God’s word. God's word is life giving. It must be spiritually appraised and cannot be fully understood without the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. The Spirit gives life to God's word in you. While you are studying God’s word, remember why. You are doing it to get to know God better, to learn His ways, to learn how to live, to learn how to walk with Him. Don’t let it become an end in itself like the scribes and pharisees did. Keep it in perspective, and be a student of God’s word. Study it. Memorize it. Meditate on it. Believe it. Live it. Base your life on God's word. This is success, both now and in eternity.

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"Choose you this day whom you will serve.....but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

Joshua 24:15